Android 4.2.2 kills the Nexus 4’s unofficial LTE support

Google giveth, and Google taketh away.

Nexus 4 users are finally beginning to receive their Android 4.2.2 update, about 48 hours after it was first spotted on Galaxy Nexus, Nexus 7, and Nexus 10 devices. Users of LG and Google's latest Nexus handset may find themselves losing a desirable feature, though—AnandTech reports that an update to the phone's baseband software included in Android 4.2.2 appears to completely disable its partial, unofficial LTE support.

While LTE was never an advertised feature of the Nexus 4, the phone's internal similarities to LG's LTE-capable Optimus G handset extended to its Qualcomm-supplied WTR1605L LTE chip, which is sold in a package with the particular Snapdragon SoC used in both phones. Shortly after the phone's release, tinkering by AnandTech and some XDA Developers forum users found that by digging into Android's hidden settings, partial LTE support could in fact be enabled and used. However, since the phone wasn't designed to support LTE, its hardware could only make use of Band 4 (also known as AWS), used fairly widely in Canada but less so in the United States—T-Mobile is planning an LTE rollout using Band 4, but that is still in its early stages.

Google's latest software update has closed that backdoor, so the few users who are able to take advantage of it to get faster data speeds may want to hold off on updating for now. If you want to keep your Nexus 4's partial LTE intact, you'll have to hope that third-party ROMs restore the hidden feature—likewise, if you were holding out for a software update to make the Nexus 4's LTE support official, this is a pretty clear message from Google: it's not happening.

Promoted Comments

It needs to be noted that without FCC approval, the LTE functionality was never actually permitted. It was a hack, plain and simple, and Google are simply bringing their phone in line with what they said it was legally able to do in the first place. If you want to keep your LTE I'm sure a custom ROM will take care of it soon, but Google HAD to take it out.

So if I apply these timely Android updates to my Google flagship phone, I lose functionality?

I bought a Nexus phone so I wouldn't have to choose between a decrepit Android bastardization or Cyanogenmod with features missing or flaky, like GPS and MMS (don't believe xda fanboys who say otherwise).

Honestly, I despise Apple but I don't see where Google is much different anymore, except that Apple can actually deliver product when it's wanted.

Well, technically, it was functionality you were never supposed to have anyway - obviously I would prefer that the sekrit LTE remain intact, but it's not like Sony's removal of Linux support from the PS3 (a feature that was actually advertised, just to pick an example) or anything.

Meh. I didn't buy my Nexus 4 because of hidden, possibly patchy partial LTE support. They never intended to provide it, they're probably just trying to avoid support calls when someone breaks their phone trying to figure out LTE.

It needs to be noted that without FCC approval, the LTE functionality was never actually permitted. It was a hack, plain and simple, and Google are simply bringing their phone in line with what they said it was legally able to do in the first place. If you want to keep your LTE I'm sure a custom ROM will take care of it soon, but Google HAD to take it out.

Um, did I miss the part where Google hired exec's from Sony to give them advice on how to manage product features on items previously sold to consumers?

Because it looks kinda similar from here....

You should read other comments before making your own. Google are required to remove the LTE feature since it was never approved by the FCC. It was also never advertised by Google being an unintentional inclusion error so no, they are not like Sony.

However, I _do_ own the Nexus 4 myself and never bought it with LTE being a motivating factor. I was making a joke about the viewpoint of the person on the outside who will only see a decrease in speed. Sony was just an easy target (and I still own Sony product = their hardware is still rather nice (for my purposes), I just don't like their services).

I don't give a *&^*( about LTE since it has yet to roll out in my country and HSDPA+ is fast enough for me anyway.

It is indeed a different situation from Sony, I went with a PS3 over an XBox back when because I could tinker with Linux, play Blu-ray in addition to playing games. I was pretty pissed with them for forcing me to update to keep two out of three functions I used. Not updating meant losing two (Blu-ray and online games, I initially didnt update until I bought a Sony Pictures Blu-ray, that played on every BD player except the PS3, which insisted it needed an update to play this disc!)

Apart from movies I have not bought a Sony product since. I must say I'm very happy with my Marantz, LG and Samsung equipment. Sony is almost completely banished from my home now.

I'm surprised US telco's accept phones not 'sold by them' on their network. Considering they somehow need to test devices they do sell for months before releasing an update. Makes you wonder why anyone would ever buy a phone from a telco in the first place.

In all seriousness, even if you were using LTE, this probably isn't a huge loss. Regular HSPA+ is really damn fast, more than enough for even routine tethered laptop use. Yes, LTE is faster, and someday will be MUCH faster, but at the moment it's very power-hungry, and the marginal benefit in going from HSPA+ to LTE speeds is probably not worth it for most people.

Of course, that also depends on your local carrier's HSPA network. If it's provisioned properly, there's really not that much difference. But if it doesn't have enough overall bandwidth, resulting in packet loss and slow speeds, LTE could potentially be much better, at least until more people switch over.

As a Nexus 4 owner this is disappointing, I was looking forward to T-Mobiles Band 4 LTE deployment. I Guess will have to go with a 3rd party rom down the road...

I'm sure your LTE provider will be perfectly fine with whatever implementation the 3rd-party ROM guys come up with. Not like they really test these things after the FCC certifies that the manufacturer has submitted paperwork showing it works right. Heck, they might even enjoy the challenge of supporting a new variant!

I've always been satisfied with the performance of HSDPA+ (mixed with some UTMS fallback). Not sure why LTE is such a big deal. What the hell do you guys use your data plans for that requires so much bandwidth?

I've always been satisfied with the performance of HSDPA+ (mixed with some UTMS fallback). Not sure why LTE is such a big deal. What the hell do you guys use your data plans for that requires so much bandwidth?

Personally, I stream music when I'm driving. 3g drops in and out, whereas LTE lets me stream full quality audio.

Andrew Cunningham / Andrew has a B.A. in Classics from Kenyon College and has over five years of experience in IT. His work has appeared on Charge Shot!!! and AnandTech, and he records a weekly book podcast called Overdue.